


Recalculation

by Whiterabbit11



Series: These new times [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Children, Fainting, Fluff, Implied Relationships, Kissing, M/M, Mpreg, Party, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 11:23:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6236719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whiterabbit11/pseuds/Whiterabbit11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry asks another question. Lucius is slightly impressed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recalculation

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for the likes and comments on Part 1! I didn't expect any interest at all for the odd outpourings of my fluff-filled brain, and I'm rather touched.

Lucius looked around himself and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Again. Really, if he indulged himself in all the facial expressions he wanted to make, he would probably do himself an injury. Anyway the wine was excellent - chosen by Draco, of course - and at least the galleons for this ridiculous affair hadn't come from his own vaults. Mentally wincing, he sipped slowly and contemplated his finances which were yet recovering from his son’s wedding a year previous. Narcissa - and here Lucius’ eye lingered fondly on his wife - had lost her legendary restraint early in the planning process. The wedding of her beloved Draco to Harry Potter was sumptuous even by Malfoy standards. A year later, people still spoke of it in hushed tones. Lucius allowed himself a moment of smugness. Good. Let them gossip of his apparently limitless vaults, of his indulgence of his wife and son, of his now-cordial relations with Harry Potter and by extension, the entire Weasley clan. Much better they speak of these things than that other unpleasant business… 

“What do you think, Father?” Draco had come up behind him, and smiled cheekily as he gently tapped his water glass against his father’s wine.  
“An excellent vintage, Draco. I'm surprised you are not imbibing?”  
Draco smirked and shook his head. “I meant the party, Father.” The two Malfoys - and Draco would always be a Malfoy, regardless of what bloody Potter said - made an elegant matching pair as they surveyed the festivities. The garden of Grimauld Place had been transformed into a sort of Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders. Fairies lit every corner in twinkling lights, with a large group flying in the formation of a chandelier in the centre. Lamps floated high, and delicious food and drink was being carried on gleaming platters by impeccably-dressed house elves. There was a champagne fountain and an ice sculpture and white flowers glowing everywhere. A band played softly, though Lucius had no doubt more raucous entertainment was imminent. Lavishly wrapped gifts rested in large piles around a plush chair, awaiting the lucky recipient. More gifts had been attached with ribbons to shiny balloons, and were floating in mid-air. Young children played strategically near the loaded dessert table and despite the preponderance of red hair and freckles amongst the guests, Lucius had to admit the overall effect was charming. His eyes rested approvingly on young Teddy, whose hair was currently Malfoy-blonde, as he valiantly tried to dance with the sole blonde Weasley girl. Lucius smiled warmly at Draco. “Delightful, son, if somewhat heavy on the ginger.” Draco laughed aloud, and Lucius found himself chuckling a little too. It was good to see his son so happy, so carefree, and positively glowing with health. Lucius hated to admit it, and enjoyed trying to thwart Potter at every turn, but Potter had been good to Draco. He spoiled him terribly, just as he had promised Lucius he would, but also lent him the strength and steadiness Draco often lacked. His fortune and support gave Draco the freedom to settle into experimental potioneering, a singularly unprofitable enterprise, and Draco had made his headquarters at the house he inherited in Spinners End. Lucius wondered what his dour old friend would have thought of these new times, although perhaps he wouldn't have minded so much, knowing both Potter and his godson were safe and his work would continue. 

He watched now as Draco approached Potter and started calling everyone towards the enormous cake. Potter still looked somewhat bewildered by the elaborate party, which had apparently been a great surprise to him. Perhaps, thought Lucius, Draco was not the only one being spoilt. Potter blushed and laughed like a fool while the guests gave a rousing, off-key rendition of Happy Birthday, immediately followed by a verse of a slightly rude ditty by the Weasley clan. Potter made a vague stab into the cake, as if unused to the action, and Draco kissed him lingeringly. Amidst catcalls (could no one suppress those wretched Weasleys?) Potter pulled back to gaze besottedly at his husband, and Draco cried out, “And now, presents!” Cheers rang through the garden and the elves hurried to cut and distribute the cake while Potter was dragged to the chair. He looked wide-eyed and strangely emotional, not at all the steely upstart who had practically demanded Draco's hand in marriage. Lucius wondered if Weasleys and Gryffindors were such terrible gift givers? However, the results of the next half hour of gift unwrapping were fairly innocuous. The usual assortment of Quidditch paraphernalia, clothing, books (courtesy of Granger-Weasley), and a huge box of horrors from that dreadful shop were accompanied by hugs and jokes and kisses from the assembled guests. Potter looked more and more disheveled and emotional as the gifts continued, and he actually shed a tear when Teddy, now with matching black hair, finally presented him with a truly dreadful ‘painting’ made by all the children. Many homemade cards were included and Potter read them all while surrounded by the little ones. Lucius heard a soft sniff beside him, and quickly wound an arm around Narcissa, who was discreetly wiping a tear on her lace handkerchief. He could see Andromeda and Molly Weasley likewise tearing up, but Lucius knew he would lose an arm if he attempted to comfort either - he settled for a small smile in their general direction. “It's so good to see Harry so happy,” murmured Molly, and there was general nodding while Lucius maintained his pleasant smile through sheer willpower. 

Luckily Teddy stopped them from getting any more maudlin when he discovered one last gift hidden under the chair. Wrapped in plain brown paper and unadorned by ribbon, it had gone unnoticed until now. “Just a little thing from me,” said Draco, stepping closer and watching Potter carefully. Potter made a wild gesture at his tottering pile of goodies, and at the party in general. “Draco, you've given me so much!” There was gentle laughter and encouragement for him to ‘get on with it’ from the partygoers, and Draco only smiled, so Potter ripped open the brown paper to reveal a framed photo. He frowned at the picture in confusion. Silence descended and Teddy leaned over to get a better look. “There's writing there,” he pointed to a corner of the picture. “‘James Sirius Potter’. What does that mean? Who's he? What's this blobby thing?”

Gasps sounded throughout the party. Potter swallowed loudly as he finally wrenched his eyes from the picture and blinked at Draco, who had stepped closer still. “A son?” he croaked. Draco just nodded, looking a little choked up himself. Potter launched himself from the chair, attempted to cross the few steps to Draco but fell on wobbly knees and ended up kneeling at Draco's feet with Draco cuddling him, crying and laughing and completely beside himself. The party exploded into cheers. 

Lucius felt like he had been hit by a brick. Beside him, Narcissa was already accepting congratulations, and he vaguely heard her telling Molly that she had suspected, of course, a mother always knows. The lace handkerchief had reappeared. But Lucius had eyes only for the tableau before him, as the great Harry Potter, vanquisher of Voldemort, The Boy Who Lived Twice, knelt on the ground before his son. Through rushing in his ears, he heard the Dark Lord’s voice again, telling Lucius that when the war was won, Draco would be sent to him, to be used as a brood mare for his Lord’s pleasure. Bellatrix had cackled maniacally and talked about what an honour it would be for Draco to serve his Lord so. There would have been no joy in this event if those dark times had come to pass. There would have been nothing but pain, terror and sorrow. Lucius had been so determined to marry Draco to a nice girl, to settle the boy comfortably and obliterate from his own mind the terrible threat he had never shared with anyone. Now he refocused his gaze on Potter, who was slowly standing on shaking legs and clutching Teddy, still keeping a tight grip on Draco while their friends attempted to congratulate them. Potter, who had sacrificed so much so young. Potter, who had marched quietly to Voldemort to offer up even his own life. Potter, who looked at Draco with gratitude and wonder and adoration that spoke of more diamonds in Draco's immediate future. Lucius experienced a moment of dizzy relief…

And opened his eyes to find that it had been more than a moment. Lucius Malfoy had fainted dead away in the middle of a gathering of bloody Gryffindors. He looked up blearily to find Narcissa hovering over him anxiously, while her hands opened his shirt and voices shouted for water, for a wet cloth, for people to stand back, for a Healer to be found. Behind her, Draco came into focus, looking utterly terrified. Potter was holding him and looked to have pulled himself together. A woman pushed herself forward and started issuing clear, calm instructions. Lucius vaguely remembered one of the Weasley wives was a Healer, and swatted at her ineffectually. “Mkay,” he muttered, and quickly stopped when he realised how slurred he sounded. He suffered the Weasley to examine him, and when she pronounced that it was ‘just a simple faint’, he was allowed to sit up with Narcissa’s help and sip at a glass of cool water. He met Draco's eyes at the same moment he realised he was sitting on the ground in his dress robes, having passed out after hearing he would be a grandfather. Draco's mouth twitched. “Don't you dare, whelp,” growled Lucius, but it was too late. Draco's delighted, relieved laughter rang out, and many, many voices joined in. Narcissa, the lovely little traitor, was giggling even as she cuddled him close and whispered, “Oh, you silly man.” In the distance Molly and Andromeda were far less restrained, and he knew they were thoroughly enjoying his literal fall from grace. A warm, broad shoulder came to his side. “Let's get you up, Lucius,” said Potter in a happy voice. He was pushed up by the auror’s strong arms and then Potter was giving him a hearty hug, allowing Lucius a few more moments to steady himself with support. To his own surprise, he returned the hug firmly. When they pulled back, the two men looked at each other solemnly for a moment. Then Draco wriggled into the hug from one side and Narcissa stepped up to hug Potter, and Lucius turned to hold his son fiercely close. Around them celebrations continued, and Arthur was suddenly slapping his back, saying he couldn't wait to see the baby who felled Harry Potter and Lucius Malfoy in one night. Lucius could only roll his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> No beta, just me and fluff.


End file.
